Even Porsche Doesn't Know if it Wants to Build a Plug-In Hybrid 911

We've been hearing conflicting things on whether Porsche will build a hybrid 911. Back in 2016, Porsche said it would offer a plug-in hybrid 911 eventually, but this past May, August Achleitner, chief engineer of the 911, confirmed the project was dead. Now, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume tells Autocarthat a plug-in hybrid 911 is being developed—but it might not reach production anytime soon.

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"With the 911, for the next 10 to 15 years, we will still have a combustion engine," Blume told Autocar. "We have combustion engines, then plug-ins as intermediaries, then full EV later on. The future concept of 911 will have plug-in built in, but it’s not decided yet if we offer it.

"The 911 is a core business and we need it to be a pure sports car. When customers want it to be electric, we can be ready."

Currently, Porsche offers plug-in hybrid drivetrains on the Panamera, including the fastest, most powerful variant, the 680-hp Turbo S E Hybrid. This drivetrain will also be offered in the new Cayenne, which made its debut in non-hybrid form earlier this year.

Porsche's big concern with building a plug-in hybrid 911 is weight, which would compromise dynamics. Achleitner also predicted that a 911 plug-in hybrid would add expense, further reducing its appeal.

But if Porsche keeps developing hybrid tech, reducing cost and weight, a hybrid 911 could become a more realistic possibility. After all, Porsche is investing heavily in electric drivetrain technology for the all-electric 2020 Mission E sedan, which could help pave the way for a hybrid 911.

So, a hybrid 911 is probably coming sometime in the future. We just don't know when we'll see it.

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